1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printer using infrared rays for a data communication medium to effect data communication with an external data processing apparatus such as a computer.
2. Related Background Art
Apparatuses which effect data communication between data processing apparatuses such as computers in a near distance space such as the interior of a room with not a cable but infrared rays as a communication medium are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 59-000235, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-312621 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-186847. If such optical communication is utilized, the bus lines between the data processing apparatuses can be curtailed or omitted and the degree of freedom of the spatial disposition of the data processing apparatuses will be improved and a reduction in the cost of facilities will be achieved.
However, in the data communication utilizing infrared rays as described above (hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cinfrared ray communicationxe2x80x9d), the light emission and light reception of infrared rays have directionality and therefore, unless the angles of disposition of the transmission side data processing apparatus and the reception side data processing apparatus are within an appropriate range, there has been the problem that reliability of data exchange cannot be secured.
So, an apparatus wherein the light receiving portion or the light emitting portion of the infrared ray communication apparatus is contained in a rotatable head portion to effect data exchange more reliably is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 5-167538.
However, when the above-described infrared ray communication apparatus is to be utilized in a printer, if the infrared ray communication apparatus is used independently of the printer body, it is necessary to connect these by a cable, and this has led to problems such as the cumbersomeness of connection and an increase in the area for installation.
Also, an example in which a printer body contains an infrared ray communication apparatus therein is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 5-290195, etc. but generally, the sizes of a computer, an information apparatus, etc. which provide the data transmission side and the position of an infrared ray emitting portion are various. Therefore, when infrared ray communication is to be effected with these apparatuses, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the angles of disposition of the both apparatuses, and this has led to the problem that the installation and operation of the apparatuses become cumbersome.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer in which an area capable of effecting infrared ray communication is secured widely by a simple construction and which saves in space and is provided with an infrared ray communicating function of high reliability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a printer in which it is made possible to protrude an infrared ray communication unit portion at any angle from the surface of the printer in conformity with the disposition of a data processing apparatus which is the object of data communication and the area of the printer which is capable of effecting infrared ray communication is secured widely and the degree of freedom of the disposition relation between the printer and the data processing apparatus is improved.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a printer in which an infrared ray communication unit portion is made protrudable from that side of the outer surface of the printer which is along the direction of conveyance of a recording medium and data communication is not hampered by a recording medium set in the printer or a recording medium discharged and the infrared ray communication unit portion does not hamper the recording medium set in the printer or the recording medium discharged.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a printer for effecting recording on a recording medium by recording means, including conveying means for conveying said recording medium, an infrared ray communication unit containing in a case member an infrared ray communication element for effecting data communication with an external data processing apparatus with an infrared ray as a communication medium, and supporting means for rotatably supporting said infrared ray communication unit on said printer so as to be protrudable from the surface of the outer case of said printer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a printer for effecting recording on a recording medium by recording means, including conveying means for conveying said recording medium, an infrared ray communication unit having an infrared ray communication element portion for effecting data communication with an external data processing apparatus with an infrared ray as a communication medium, and an infrared ray transmitting window portion for transmitting therethrough an infrared ray emitted or received by said infrared ray communication element portion, and supporting means for making said infrared ray transmitting window portion protrudable from the surface of the outer case of said printer and yet rotatably supporting said infrared ray transmitting window portion and said infrared ray communication element portion on said printer.